This unit was created by Jean Darnell, a former Librarian based in Texas and now the Library Director for the Philadelphia School District, as part of the 2023-2024 Pulitzer Center Teacher Fellowship program. It is designed for facilitation across Six 60-90 minute lessons or 2 weeks of 45-50 minute lessons.
For more units created by Pulitzer Center Teacher Fellows in this cohort, click here.
Unit Overview:
Students will research, analyze and determine how Artificial Intelligence or AI influences their daily lives, how AI could potentially violate their privacy, and how colleges/universities/school districts are already using AI & their biometric data to monitor their social gatherings and access to collegiate services (i.e. facial recognition for meal plans, access to buildings, etc.). Students will explore how third-party AI companies protect, share, and document legally/illegally obtained information from collegiate students and school district minors. Students will debate which policies/procedures should be included in their district or campus’s AI policy.
Leveraging the investigative research conducted on Pulitzer Center articles throughout this unit, students will present their findings to their respective school board or technology department coordinators.
Objectives:
Students will…
- Master formerly-known digital citizenship safety measures (cyberbullying, social media monitoring, algorithm, two-factor authentication, geolocation, data privacy, terms of service, cookies, privacy settings, opt-out, etc.) to create an AI policy for their university or school campus
- Describe how AI already affects their daily lives and how it affects their roles as digital citizens
- Discover what terminology needs to be included in university and school district policies and procedures as it relates to AI data surveillance
- Research race and biometric identification biases
- Research how facial recognition technology, geo-location monitoring and AI sleuthing software violate, limit and/or infringe on their rights
- Research collegiate and school district AI policies to determine whether their biometric information and/or social media is monitored or influenced by AI software
- Create an AI policy based on researching local colleges or other districts with a policy
- Examine the European AI policy outline to help develop their own “kid-friendly” policy to present to their campus
- Explore “advanced search” for social media (i.e. Tik-Tok, X [formerly Twitter], and Instagram/FB), including how to block or focus on key phrases
- Ask AI for an algorithm to prevent spying/monitoring of their social media name
- Employ data and reporting to debate the moral and ethical ramifications of AI use in a variety of contexts
- Suggest AI policies as a result of research, analysis and debate
Performance Task:
Using inspiration from all the articles analyzed throughout the unit, students will in groups to craft and present a new AI policy. Once developed, students will present their policy in a class-wide debate
Assessment:
Formative Assessment:
As a daily exit ticket, students will create a policy/procedure regarding AI usage/governance to contribute to the total list of policies/procedures to be adopted by their campus.
Discussion Grading Rubric [.pdf][.docx]
Performance Task:
Using inspiration from all the articles analyzed throughout the unit, students will in groups to craft and present a new AI policy. Once developed, students will present their policy in a classwide debate.
This six lesson unit plan for teachers, includes pacing, teacher-created resources, performance task instructions, and grading rubrics. This unit was written to be taught over the course of Six 60-90 minute lessons or 2 weeks of 45-50 minute lessons.
The unit also includes a 3-day mini unit which serves as a condensed version of the six-day lesson plan. The mini-unit includes pacing, teacher-created resources and grading rubrics. The mini unit was originally designed for co-teaching.
Empowered Learner Students leverage technology to take an active role in choosing, achieving and demonstrating competency in their learning goals, informed by the learning sciences.
Students:
1.1.a. articulate and set personal learning goals, develop strategies leveraging technology to achieve them and reflect on the learning process itself to improve learning outcomes.
1.1.b. build networks and customize their learning environments in ways that support the learning process.
1.1.c. use technology to seek feedback that informs and improves their practice and to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.
1.1.d. understand the fundamental concepts of technology operations, demonstrate the ability to choose, use and troubleshoot current technologies and are able to transfer their knowledge to explore emerging technologies.
1.2. Digital Citizen
Students recognize the rights, responsibilities and opportunities of
living, learning and working in an interconnected digital world, and
they act and model in ways that are safe, legal and ethical.
Students:
1.2.a. cultivate and manage their digital identity and reputation and
are aware of the permanence of their actions in the digital
world.
1.2.b. engage in positive, safe, legal and ethical behavior when using
technology, including social interactions online or when using
networked devices.
1.2.c. demonstrate an understanding of and respect for the rights
and obligations of using and sharing intellectual property.
1.2.d. manage their personal data to maintain digital privacy and
security and are aware of data-collection technology used to
track their navigation online.
TEA/TEKS for Technology Standards:
Knowledge and skills.
(1) Creativity and innovation. The student uses creative thinking and innovative processes to construct knowledge, generate new ideas, and create products.
The student is expected to:
(A) identify, create, and use files in various formats such as text, raster and vector graphics, video, and audio files;
(B) create original works as a means of personal or group expression; (C) explore complex systems or issues using models, simulations, and new technologies to make predictions, modify input, and review results; and
(D) discuss trends and possible outcomes.
(2) Communication and collaboration. The student collaborates and communicates both locally and globally to reinforce and promote learning.
The student is expected to:
(A) participate in personal learning networks to collaborate with peers, experts, or others using digital tools such as blogs, wikis, audio/video communication, or other emerging technologies;
(B) communicate effectively with multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats; and Middle School §126.B. August 2022 Update (C) read and discuss examples of technical writing.
(3) Research and information fluency. The student acquires, analyzes, and manages content from digital resources.
The student is expected to:
(A) create a research plan to guide inquiry;
(B) discuss and use various search strategies, including keyword(s) and Boolean operators;
(C) select and evaluate various types of digital resources for accuracy and validity; and
(D) process data and communicate results.
(4) Critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision making. The student makes informed decisions by applying critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.
The student is expected to:
(A) identify and define relevant problems and significant questions for investigation;
(B) plan and manage activities to develop a solution, design a computer program, or complete a project;
(C) collect and analyze data to identify solutions and make informed decisions;
(D) use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions;
(E) make informed decisions and support reasoning; and
(F) transfer current knowledge to the learning of newly encountered technologies.
(5) Digital citizenship. The student practices safe, responsible, legal, and ethical behavior while using technology tools and resources.
The student is expected to:
(A) understand copyright principles, including current laws, fair use guidelines, creative commons, open source, and public domain;
(B) practice ethical acquisition of information and standard methods for citing sources;
(C) practice safe and appropriate online behavior, personal security guidelines, digital identity, digital etiquette, and acceptable use of technology; and
(D) understand the negative impact of inappropriate technology use, including online bullying and harassment, hacking, intentional virus setting, invasion of privacy, and piracy such as software, music, video, and other media.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.K.3: With prompting and support, describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.3: Describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.3: Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text.
Throughout the unit, students engaged in small group and whole group activities centering reporting on artificial intelligence. Below is a series of completed worksheets and guided readings. Ms Darnell often used collaborative, digital platforms to encourage student reflection and engagement like this jamboard discussion about Hilke Schellman's reporting on how AI hyper sexualizes women's bodies.
Formative Tasks:
Darnell created a guided reading worksheets that encouraged students to analyze reporting and then write policies inspired by the reading.
Performance Task:
In her mini-unit, Ms. Darnell had student review the EU AI Policy Act and paraphrase new policies into teen-friendly language in order for these policies to be adopted by their local school board.

